Howl at the Moon
by Little.Maddie.Redhead
Summary: Remus Lupin wasn't looking for a girl. But when a young witch transfers to Hogwarts, will he be willing to share his Furry Little Problem with her? And will she accept him? Remus/OC, Sirius/OC.
1. New Girl

Remus stared mindlessly at the leather-bound book in his lap. He must've skimmed the same page five times, but was too busy paying attention to the other people in the train compartment to actually read it. His friends, a group known as the Marauders, were busy describing the girls they met over the summer break. Or rather, James and Sirius, the two most charming in the group, were enthusiastically acting out their 'conquests' as Peter listened on in awe of his two role models.

_Role models, _Remus chuckled to himself, _as if you could call them that. _The train rumbled loudly beneath them as it travelled across farmland, on the way to Hogwarts. It was their sixth year together, and Remus was more than happy to be back with his friends, but he wouldn't mind a little peace and quiet every now and then. He finally heaved a sigh, and gave up on his book; there was no way he was going to focus with the ruckus the others were causing. He looked up just in time to see his friend Sirius, his black, curly, wild hair hanging in his face, laughing as he pumped his hips into the air.

"Wow Sirius, you get all of the girls, don't you?" Peter asked adoringly. You could see the hint of jealousy in his plain brown eyes; he was even shyer than Remus around girls. Peter was a rather mousy young man, and Remus couldn't remember a single occasion where he was able to talk to a girl without his voice cracking.

"I do indeed, Wormtail, they can't seem to keep their hands off of me." Sirius responded, a wolfish grin spreading on his face. He had always been the womanizer of the group, sleeping his way through nearly all the girls in their year. "What about you Prongs, finally get over the fair redhead you so adore?" he taunted, turning to James, making obnoxiously loud kissing noises at his friend.

"No, Lily hasn't talked to me since last February." James huffed sadly.

"Perhaps you shouldn't have called her Sweetie?" Remus inquired innocently, "I don't think she appreciated the familiarity."

James pouted at the idea. Remus couldn't help but smile at his friend, whose four year crush on the same girl had been nothing but sour. It was a shame too; James was captain of the Quidditch team, and easily the most popular guy at the school. He could date any member of the little fan club that followed him around the halls of Hogwarts. James ran his hand through his hair, making it stick up as though he had just gotten off his broomstick.

"What about you Moony, any ladies sweep you off your feet this summer?" Sirius asked jokingly, as he bit into a licorice wand. Remus couldn't help but snort, they all knew that the only time he ever talked to girls was during class, and the topic never strayed far from the homework assignments. "Aww, don't worry Moony, we'll find you a lady to play with soon," Sirius told him, a devilish smirk playing on his face. "There must be someone on your mind."

"Not really," Remus replied dryly, wishing he would've kept on with his book, it might have kept the others off his back.

"How can there be no one?" squeaked Peter, "There must be someone, there's plenty of pretty girls at school!"

"Yes but not one of them is either unclaimed, or hasn't been wooed into bed by Padfoot," he told them simply. And it was true, there was no one that he would want to date that Sirius hadn't gotten to already. The last thing he wanted was to date one of Sirius' rejects.

"Ah mate, that's where you're wrong," Sirius said, a mischievous look in his eye "Rarely are we in a bed!" he barked, smiling at his own charm.

"Well come on, there's got to be somebody at the school who hasn't slept with Pads yet," James told his friend, "We just need to think of one. What's your type?"

Remus shrugged, "I don't know, I don't have one I suppose"

"That's where you're wrong mate, you always have a type, otherwise you'd date any living thing that walked past you," Sirius told him.

"So you don't have a type either then?"

"Well, I am insulted Remus! Are you calling me whorish?" he questioned mockingly. Remus just gave him a sharp look, his patience wearing thin. "Oh alright, come on now, just tell us. There must be one thing you would look for in a girl!"

"I don't know," Remus replied nervously, racking his brain for any response to get his friends to leave him alone, "I suppose a sharp wit and a good sense of humor?"

"Gah, how boring, come on Remus. You're a teenage boy, don't you have any thoughts that don't revolve around homework? Any fantasies that don't include getting good grades?" James joked, taunting his friend. After all, what else are friends for? "What do you like? Legs? You seem like a legs man to me."

"I don't know," Remus replied, a blush creeping up his face "I guess blue eyes?" He replied nervously. Upon seeing the disappointed look on his friends' faces, he continued, "And I guess a curvy shape, not chunky or anything, petite with curves."

"Ah, I know what you mean my lad," Sirius grinned, running his hands through the air in an hourglass shape, "Good choice, more to hold on to that way" He said with a wink. James and Peter both threw handfuls of jelly beans at him.

"You're a real dog, you know that Padfoot?" James laughed. The three continued to battle with their candy, throwing pumpkin pasties at each other's faces, and generally making a mess on the compartments benches.

Remus sighed, thankful to have the attention taken off of him, and turned his attention to the rolling hills out the window. It wasn't that he didn't like girls, it was just that he knew he would never find one who would want to be near him, much less date him, once they knew about his 'furry little problem'. It was best to just keep to himself and make himself busy with his friend's shenanigans, rather than go traipsing after some girl who could never love him back.

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On the other side of the hallway, in a different compartment, Lily Evans was already nose deep in a text book. She knew she was going to be bust with Prefect duties, so she thought it best to get all of her studying done as early as she could. Her red hair curled around her face and into her emerald eyes, she bit her lip as she pushed the tendrils away. A stunning brunette was stretched out on the seat across from her, trying to interest herself with a magazine.

"Lily, I'm bored," She huffed, throwing her magazine to the ground. Lily barely even glanced up at her friend, before lazily replying,

"Then find something to entertain yourself Emily." She returned to her book, finding Ancient Runes to be much more interesting than her friend rambling on about boys or makeup. Suddenly the door to the compartment swished open, and an unfamiliar face poked in.

"Um, hello, I was wondering if I could sit here?" the new girl asked, a small blush creeping up her face, "There's not much room anywhere else."

"Of course!" Emily responded, eager for someone to entertain her. "Come sit down! I don't recognize you, are you new?" The new girl relaxed a little, happy to have someone to talk to.

"Yes, I just transferred here from Beauxbatons, this is my sixth year." She told them, "My name's Ana Smith."

Smiling warmly, Lily extended her hand to greet Ana, "Hi there, my name's Lily, and that's Emily. If you need any help, ask me anything, I'm a Prefect. Did you already get sorted?"

"Yes, I was at Hogwarts a few weeks ago to meet Dumbledore, and I was sorted into Gryffindor then."

Emily squealed in delight, "We're Gryffindors too! That means you'll be our new bunkmate!"

"Thank goodness, we need more force against that conceited Alicia" Lily muttered, "You'll have to be careful though Ana, the boys in our year can be quite a force. Make sure you don't fall for Sirius Black's charms like everyone else at the school."

"Oh Lily, he's really not that bad, it's not his fault he's so handsome." Emily gushed "But still, don't fall for it, because this year he's mine."

"Who's yours?" Sirius asked, as he stepped into the compartment. A blush ran up Emily's neck, covering her cheeks.

"None of your business." She muttered sheepishly. Sirius slid into a seat, followed by James and Peter.

"Well hello there love," he said to Ana "I'm Black, Sirius Black," he said with a wolfish grin "and these are my mates, James and Peter. And Remus is still huddled in the other compartment, reading a book." He added, rolling his eyes.

"Hi I'm Ana," she said carefully, remembering Lily's warning about the notorious Sirius Black. She could see what they meant, he had only just met her, and already was trying to charm her. Ana definitely wanted to be careful around him.

"Sirius," Lily began "There's nothing wrong with reading a boo-"

"Oy! Moony! Get in here already!" Sirius interrupted. Remus looked up in shock, surprised to see that none of his friends were in his compartment. He shyly got out of his seat and wandered into the next compartment. Ana watched him move, he was slim and tall, yet managed to walk into the room gracefully, unlike Ana who was a bushel. She couldn't help but stare at the tawny hair that fell into his gold eyes. She then noticed that he was watching her too, and she quickly turned her head to look in the other directions.

"Hey James," Sirius taunted, "Looks like we've got another redhead here." He gently reached forward and tugged on Ana's bright red curls "Better not fall for her too!" He howled laughing at his friend.

Remus had sat down across from Ana, and once again buried his face in his book, but she couldn't help but notice that he was looking up at his friends, listening to their conversation.

"So Ana, why did you transfer here anyways?" Emily asked her, trying to keep her eyes off of Sirius.

"Oh, my parents just thought I would get a better education here I suppose." She replied, "I'm happy to come here though, I was the only one there without a French accent."

The group set off, telling Ana all she needed to know about Hogwarts. The girls told her about which teachers she needed to suck up to and which classes she'd most likely fall asleep in, while the boys told her to keep clear of any Slytherin and to never get caught in a prank war with them. This set off an argument between Lily-the-Prefect and the 'mischief twins'. As she scolded them for being such awful role models for Ana and any of the first-years, Ana turned her attention back to Remus, who was still reading his book.

"What are you reading?" She asked him curiously. It took a while for Remus to even register that she was talking to him.

"Oh, um, Catcher in the Rye. It's a muggle classic." He said shyly, averting her gaze.

"Oh, that's one of my favorites! When you're done, you'll have to tell me what you think of it!"

"Um, yeah, sure." He mumbled nervously.

"Ana," Emily said, standing up with Lily, "We're going to go change into our robes, wanna come with?" Ana nodded, and followed them out of the compartment.

As soon as they had closed the door behind them, Sirius let out a long wolf-whistle.

"Blimey, what do you think about that new girl?" He said, a devilish gleam in his eye, "It's nice to have a little fresh meat around here."

"Sirius, must you refer to a woman as meat?" Remus sighed.

"Oh standing up for her, aren't we? Well aren't you noble? Don't even bother with the feminism, I saw you two flirting over there. Fancy her at all?"

"She was just asking me about my book." Remus said quickly, he could feel the heat of a blush rising across his face.

"Oh sure, talking about a book. A likely excuse!"

"Just because you don't read Sirius, doesn't mean nobody else does either."


	2. The Marauders

The girls had returned to their compartment just as the train began slowing down, the whistle howling faintly in the background. The boys quickly stuffed their candy into the pockets of their robes while the girls collected their belongings. The group led Ana out of the train and onto the platform, walking her past a clump of tiny first-years.

"Firs' years, o'er here!" bellowed a large man sporting an unruly beard, who Ana had to guess what about nine feet tall.

"This way Ana, the first years go by boat, but the rest of us take the carriages up." Lily told her, taking Ana's arm to lead the way. Ana was silent, her stomach jumping in anxiety. She felt so lucky to have found a group to be friends with, but the stress of a new school still loomed over her. She couldn't help but tap her foot nervously as they waited in line for a carriage, which, Ana noted, seemed to be pulled by the remains of horses.

_Horses with wings._ She thought curiously.

"What are those creatures pulling the carriages?" she asked, turning to James. His face paled slightly at the idea of the question.

"They're called Thestrals. Not everyone sees them though, only people who have watched others die." He told her gravely. Ana's stomach did another flip at the thought.

_Well that's a depressing way to start the school year. _

Lily and Emily climbed up into carriage full of Ravenclaw girls, but Lily had a second thought "Oh no! There's not enough room for Ana! Here switch with me; I'll go up with the boys. I'd hate for you to be stuck with those prats on your first day here."

"Well!" Sirius cried, "How rude! You, Lily, are not very well-mannered! We would be delighted to take care of Miss. Ana, and we even promise not to bite!" he told her, with large pleading puppy-dog eyes.

"Really, Lily," Ana told her, "It's ok, I can take them!"

"Well, ok" she faltered, but the carriage had already begun jostling along the dirt road. Lily sat back down, and struck up a conversation with the others.

"Well Ana, looks like you're stuck with us!" Sirius chuckled, slinging an arm over her shoulders.

Remus looked down at Ana, taking in her extremely short stature. She must have been only five feet tall, and had to crane her neck slightly just to look at the boys as she talked to them. A smile twitched at the corner of his lips as she laughed cutely at a joke James had told her, her loose red curls bobbing around her.

A carriage had pulled up to the by then, and as the boys climbed into it, Ana eyed the Thestrals warily, a small frown forming on her face.

That frown sent shivers down Remus' back; he was intent on making it disappear. He held his hand down to her to help her up into the carriage with the rest of them. Ana seemed to have forgotten the Thestrals at the sight of his hand, and gripping it, with a small smile, hoisted herself into the carriage.

Now, Ana had never been the most graceful girl, much to the dismay of the dance teachers at Beauxbatons. She was the type who managed to trip up the stairs and fall whilst standing still. So it came as no surprise to her, that when she tried to pull herself into the carriage, her foot managed to catch on the bottom rung, sending her spiraling down onto the bench, and landing almost completely on the lap of Remus.

"S...sorry!" she managed between small gasps for air, squirming off of him and into the seat between him and Sirius as the rest of the Marauders howled with laughter at the spectacle. Matching blushes heated up both Ana's and Remus' faces.

_How many times can I blush today? _Ana chastised herself, _it's only the first day, and you've already embarrassed yourself on multiple occasions._

Remus must have been thinking the same thing, because he directed his attention to his hands in his lap. Sirius let out another long wolf-whistle.

"Only the first day, and you two are already canoodling!" He mocked, grinning broadly.

"Padfoot, leave the poor girl alone!" James scolding him, but he was also smiling at the pair, a mischievous gleam in his eye.

"Why do you guys have nicknames for each other?" Ana asked them.

"We are the reputable band of hooligans known as the Marauders. We like to use codenames on our little rampages across the school." James told her, his smile so wide, it was obvious he enjoyed the idea of being a hooligan.

"Oh god," Ana laughed, "What kind of rampages?"

"Oh you know the usual pranks. Dying people's hair"

"Enchanting things to follow people," Sirius continued.

"Slipping love potions into people's drinks,"

"Turning teachers into gorillas,"

"Setting off dungbombs in other common rooms." Remus added in softly.

"Remind me to never cross you four; I don't think I'd like the consequences!" Ana giggled.

"Don't worry love," Sirius purred, "We'll keep you safe. At least for a few months, we'll let you get used to the school before we start our attacks."

"Oh geez, thanks ever so much." She replied, sarcasm dripping off of every word, adding an eye roll for extra measure. "You should let me on your pranks; I was nearly kicked out of my school for some of my shenanigans." She dared them, a devilish smile playing on her face. Sirius looked at her in adoration.

"A girl who enjoys pranking? You, my dear, are the perfect lady." He purred at her, "We'll have to compare notes later."

"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." She told them, crossing her heart for further effect. Sirius and James barked at the phrase.

"I like it, you've got spunk love!" Sirius told her, slinging his arm around her shoulder.

Remus watched him, talking so easily to Ana, managing to get so close to her. He felt a little fire of jealousy rise in the pit of his stomach. He didn't know if there was a God, but if there was, please don't let Sirius sleep with her. Remus could feel the wolf inside him take form, trying to persuade him to take charge, steal her away into the night for himself. He was lucky that he had an entire week until the full moon, the wolf was still weak, and so he pushed him down into the deep dark pit that the wolf belongs in.

"My favorite prank was when I let an ostrich loose in the potions room…." Ana trailed off, she gazed off into the distance. As the trees began to part, the school was revealed, rising tall into the sky, the towers touched the stars. The windows were lit from inside, a soft buttery glow emanating into the night sky. She shivered at the sight of it, amazed at the beauty one building could have. Remus couldn't help but smile at the look on her face, the way her mouth hung slightly open in awe, her eyes wide to take in the scene.

The carriage came to a stop at the large entrance to the school. The boys marched Ana up the marble staircase, through the high arches in the hallway, and into the Great Hall. They led her to the Gryffindor table as she stared up at the enchanted ceiling, which reflected the starry night sky.

"Ana! You're alive!" Lily cried, tugging her down onto the bench next to her. "I hope those boys haven't ruined your innocence."

"Too late Evans," Sirius told her sweetly, "She's already quite the prankster!" The boys all took a seat at the table, Remus farthest from her, much to his dismay.

"Oh no," Lily groaned, "There's another one." She still gave a short smile and a wink towards Ana.

"Lily," James began, running his hand through his hair, smiling coolly, "I was wondering if you would like to go on a date to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?"

"Potter, don't even bother."

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After the feast, which had every food imaginable to Ana, Lily and Emily led her up to the girls' dormitory. Ana was thankful to change into her soft pajamas, and crawl into bed. She snuggled deep beneath the covers, her stomach warm and full with food, the curtains shut around her, and couldn't help but to drift off to sleep. The last thought on her mind was a pair of amber eyes.

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Across the Gryffindor common room, and in the boys' dormitory, the Marauders were far from being tired. The boys sat in their beds, moaning and rubbing their over-stuffed bellies. Sirius suddenly turned on his side, propping his head on his hand.

"Looks like Hogwarts has some fresh meat." He smirked. Remus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What do you have planned now, Padfoot?"

"Nothing, nothing. I just think it would be nice to give the new girl a warm welcome." his eyes glimmered devilishly, "Besides it'll be nice to have a break from chasing the same old girls."

Remus' stomach jumped and clenched inside of him. He didn't want another girl, Ana especially, to fall into the hands and dirty mind of Sirius Black.

_Why can't just one girl be mine?_ He thought sadly. He almost immediately regretted the thought. After all, he just met her; for all Remus knew she could be an evil person, htough he doubted that. Even if she was a perfect girl, the chances of her liking someone mousy and bookish like him were slim. If she was attractive enough to have Sirius chasing her, then she must be out of Remus' league and most likely Sirius' as well.

"Just try not to scare her off, Pads" James sighed. He chanced a knowing glance toward Remus. Remus felt something catch in his throat, hoping that his crush wasn't that obvious, and turned his gaze down to his book.

_There's no reason to want her if you can't have her_, he thought glumly.


	3. Enemies

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the characters Ana, Emily, and Alicia. All other characters and settings are the creation of J.K. Rowling.**

Ana awoke the next day, the first day of classes, with knots in her stomach. Her nerves clashed horribly with her still full stomach, making her queasy. She pushed her way to an upright position to see the other girls still sound asleep. Instead of falling back into bed, Ana got out from under the covers and padded her way towards the bathroom.

She looked cautiously into the mirror and groaned at the sight. Her light red hair had frizzed overnight, forming into a horrific mess of tangles. She yanked a brush through the mass a few times, and finally settled with the unruly curls that surrounded her face. After a small dose of makeup, she snuck back into the dormitory to change, but the other girls were already stretching and rubbing their eyes awake. It was then that Ana saw a new girl she hadn't met yet. A slim brunette got out of her bed, shaking her sleek waves out of a ponytail. The girl's beautiful face, and perfect little nose made Ana shrink back with self-consciousness.

"Um…hi, I'm Ana." She greeted, "What's your name?" The girl threw a look at her, and with a roll of her eyes, sauntered past Ana and into the bathroom. Ana could feel her face flush with embarrassment.

"Don't mind her," Emily scoffed, "She doesn't like anybody. Which is a coincidence because no one likes her either."

"Oh no Emily, the boys seem to like her just fine." Lily seethed, staring at the bathroom door with a look of disgust. Ana's stomach turned; she hated conflict, and a roommate war was the last thing she wanted to deal with.

"I'll just try my best to stay away from her then."

The girls changed, and headed down to the common room, where, much to Lily's dismay, they ran into two of the marauders. Sirius smiled at the girls, turning to greet them, while James quickly ran his hand through his hair, making it stick out far more than usual.

"Well hello darlings," Sirius swaggered over to them "Would you be so kind as to let me escort you beautiful creatures down to the Great Hall?" Lily and Ana rolled their eyes at him, but Emily had a look on her face that suggested she wanted to take him up on that offer.

"I'm sure we can handle getting there by ourselves, Black." Lily answered exasperatedly. She turned on her heel, and marched off, dragging Emily with her. Ana smiled at him, shrugged her shoulders, and ran off to catch up to the girls. James had been left standing in the background, a small smile plastered on his face as Lily walked past him.

"Oi mate, do you think she'll ever go out with me?" he asked Sirius.

"Sure mate, one day you'll wear her down, she'll have no choice but to go on a pity date with you!"

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Ana's first day of classes went well, she tried her hardest to stick around one of the girls or Marauders, shying away from strangers. Though, when it came to her last class of the day, Muggle Studies, she found herself without one of her new friends. She opted to sit alone at the back of the room. As she pulled out a quill and a piece of parchment to take notes on, a flurry of billowing robes appeared in the corner of her eye. She turned around to find a boy smiling at her. A very cute boy and he decided to take up residence in the seat next to her.

"Hi, I'm Marshall Thomas, Ravenclaw" he held out a hand for her to shake, "I don't recognize you".

"A-Ana, I'm a Gryffindor" she stuttered, giving him a small smile, reaching out to shake his hand in return, "I just transferred."

"Well nice to meet you Ana, you let me know if you ever need help with anything." He winked at her, and she felt a blush creep across her cheeks. He wasn't very tall, but definitely taller than Ana, and what he lacked in height, he made up for in muscle. He looked like a Quidditch player.

"Don't worry if you fall asleep in this class, it can be quite boring." He joked, grinning at her. Ana noticed his blond hair was cut short, making it easy to see his bright blue eyes. Ana shyly looked away, turning her attention towards the professor.

After class Marshall walked her to the Great Hall, chatting with her the whole way. He was quite talkative, and kept up most of their conversation. He even offered to carry her book bag, which she politely declined. She learned that he was Keeper for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, fell asleep often during Muggle Studies, and spent most of his time down by the Black Lake. Ana mostly nodded, smiling or laughing where it was appropriate. She even managed to keep up enough conversation with him to tell him about Beauxbatons, and her amazing lack of talent when it came to Quidditch. At the entrance to the hall, he turned to her and grabbed her hand.

"I'll see you in class." He smirked, bending down to kiss her knuckles. Ana's eyes widened in shock, and she felt herself twitch at the awkwardness of the situation.

"Y-y-yeah…see you…." She mumbled, fleeing the scene as quick as she could. She tried to compose herself as she made her way to the Lily and Emily, who were gossiping at the Gryffindor table.

"Well hello Ana, how was your first day?" Lily smiled warmly.

"Did you make any friends?" Emily asked her in a silly voice.

"Not really, I met a boy in my Muggle Studies class." She told them, dismissing the topic.

"Ooh! A boy?" Emily questioned, "Who?"

"A Ravenclaw named Marshall Thomas." Emily and Lily exchanged a glance.

"Oh Merlin, what? Did I do wrong?" she asked them.

"Well…no." Lily began, "But that's Alicia's ex-boyfriend." Ana groaned.

"Will I have to worry for my life then? Should I sleep with one eye open?"

"No, you shouldn't have to worry about that. She needs her 'beauty sleep' more than she would want revenge on you."

"Well, hello ladies" Sirius' voice greeted warmly, as he slid into the seat next to Ana. "How's Hogwarts been, love?" Ana flashed a smile his way.

"Just fine, thanks Sirius. Though, it appears I made an enemy this morning."

"Alicia didn't seem too pleased to see a new roommate." Emily told him, reaching for a roll from a freshly filled basket in front of her. "Nor did she seem pleased to see the old ones again."

"Don't mind the ice queen Ana, I'm sure she's just jealous to have another beauty queen to compete with." Sirius told her, his face dropping in close to whisper in her ear. Ana blushed, unsure of what to say, and responded by instead popping a chunk of bread into her mouth.

James, Remus, and Peter had just shown up sitting across the table from the others.

"Hello Lily, how were your classes?" James inquired cheerfully.

"Just fine Potter, thank you." She replied politely. James grinned at himself, happy to have an answer that wasn't an insult. The girls watched as the boys disgustedly filled their mouths with food, rarely bothering with utensils. Sirius was the worst, eating as much as a small family would need.

"Ugh, I think I've lost my appetite." Ana said, setting her fork down as she looked as Sirius, whose mouth was so full he couldn't close it properly to chew. "Are you getting enough to eat there Sirius? I don't want you to starve or anything."

"Hey, don't make fun of me, I'm a growing boy, I need my protein!" he told her, reaching for another helping of cherry pie. Ana rolled her eyes, nursing a glass of pumpkin juice.

When dinner was finished, Ana went back to the common room with the Marauders. They gathered around the roaring fire, sprawling out on the red leather couches. Ana crossed her legs, resting back into a chair. A small grey and white cat bounced through the room, settling down in the girl's lap, curling into a tight ball.

"Well, hello there Athena." She smiled down at the cat, giving it a scratch behind the ear.

Sirius was busy throwing grins and a couple of winks to a group of fifth year girls walking past. They all giggled into their palms and rushed up to the girls' dormitory. Ana took notice of their reaction, and couldn't resist teasing him.

"Geez Sirius, I guess you _are_ a ladies man! Looks like you're quite the cradle-robber!" she laughed, nodding her head towards the younger girls.

"I can't help that no one can resist me." Sirius grinned devilishly from his spot on the couch. "What about you? Someone as lovely as you must have had all those boys at Beauxbatons following you around." Remus, who had taken out a book to read, frowned at the idea. He then shook his feelings away, it wasn't his place to be so preoccupied with Ana's life.

"Not really, I've dated a few boys from my school, but nothing very serious ever came from it." She told them with a shrug.

"What a shame," Sirius drawled "Those boys must have been nuts not asking you out every chance they could." Ana rolled her eyes at the idea. Lily and Emily burst through the portrait door, flying through the common room.

"Emergency, emergency!" Emily cried, running over towards the group, "We need to borrow Ana for a second." Before Ana could protest, the girls had grasped her arms and dragged her up towards the dorm.

Finally being thrown onto her bed, Ana stared up at them in bewilderment.

"What could possibly be going on that is this urgent?" Emily and Lily shared another look, worry was etched into their faces.

"A little bird told Alicia that Marshall may have a thing for you." Emily sighed.

"A thing? What sort of thing?"

"A crush," Lily said exasperatedly, "He seems rather interested in you. Alicia isn't very fond of the idea, we thought you should be warned." Ana groaned.

"Nooo! It's only my first day here! I can't go making enemies left and right already!" She buried her face into her pillow.

"Don't worry, you're not 'making enemies left and right', just one." Emily said, trying to comfort her.

That was when Alicia decided to grace them with her presence. She saw the three girls huddled together, and narrowed her eyes. Emily and Lily got up quickly, walking to their beds, tugging out homework, desperately trying not to look suspicious. Alicia coolly sauntered to her bed, and tightened the curtains behind her.

As she passed, Ana couldn't help but hear the tiniest whisper come from Alicia's mouth.

"Slut."

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**Author's Note: I'd like to thank all of the wonderful people who have read and reviewed my story! It's so nice to have feedback, and if you have any ideas of where you would like this story to head, or a subplot you'd like to see, please feel free to message me. I enjoy positive reviews as well as informed criticism. Thank you all so much for being a part of my creation! And to thegirlwholived, I'm updating as fast as I can, I'm just very busy with my classes right now, but thanks for loving my story so much!**


	4. Reading and Rejection

**Once again, this story is the magic of J.K. Rowling. Ana, Emily, Alicia, and Marshall are part of my spell. **

The end of the week was fast approaching; Ana loved her classes, but was relieved when she woke up on Friday. It was an easy day for her, she mostly had free periods. She rubbed the sleep away from her eyes and hopped out of her bed. She smiled at the sight of Alicia's empty bed. There was always an uncomfortable silence whenever the two were near each other. Ana felt bad, she couldn't help but feel it was her fault Alicia hated her so much. Lily and Emily tried to comfort her, she had no way of knowing, and Alicia had to get over him eventually.

Ana felt a groan escape her lips; she had Muggle Studies today, which meant seeing Marshall again. He was really nice and cute, but she didn't want any more conflict brought upon her roommates because of some bloke, even if it meant giving up a cute, flirty guy, who seemed to be actually interested in her. Ana shook her head, she knew she shouldn't think that way, she didn't even know anything about him.

For her first free period of the day, she decided to retreat to a quiet corner of the library. She pulled a book out of her bag and began to read. She soon was lost in a fantastic adventure, the scenery was sweeping through her mind. She was so deeply focused on her story, she didn't even notice Remus walking towards her table.

"Mind if I sit here?" his voice made Ana jump, her book flew out of her hands and landed with a thump on the floor, making her lose her page.

"Of course Remus." She smiled, a hand on her chest to slow her heartbeat. He reached down and grabbed the novel, passing it to her.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"That's fine, I've always been jumpy. Oh bugger, where was I?" she asked herself, flipping through the pages.

"Here, allow me. _Revenio._"Remus tapped the pages with his wand. The book shuffled around, opening near the middle. Ana peered down at the pages, it was open to right where she left off.

"Wow! I've never heard that spell, that's handy." She grinned, looking up at Remus. "Thank you."

"Of course," he smiled back at her, "It was my fault you lost your page anyways." He watched as she returned to her book. Her bright blue eyes wandering over the pages, she looked cute as she focused on the book. Her lips moved soundlessly, mouthing the words of her story.

The two remained in silence, enjoying each other's company as they read. Remus caught himself glancing up at her more than he would like to admit. He really couldn't fall for her, there was too much at stake, too many secrets that he wasn't ready to reveal. He felt her leaning into him, looking at his book. His heart began beating a little faster and he prayed to Merlin that she couldn't hear it.

"What are you reading?" she asked quietly, trying to squint and read the pages over his shoulder.

"Uh...um, it's called To Kill a Mockingbird." He mumbled shyly. She was so close; he could smell her, vanilla and something fruity, perhaps cherries. "It's quite good," he said, commenting on the book of course, not the intoxicating aroma of the girl who mere inches from his face.

"I think I've heard about it before, you'll have to let me borrow it." She flashed a big smile towards him, before returning to her book. Her eyes barely moved across the pages, making it look like she was deep in thought, rather than reading.

"What about you?"

"Oh, I'm reading Beauty and the Beast." She said, showing him the cover.

"What's that about?"

"Well, it's rather complicated. A girl named Belle, she's the Beauty, is trapped in a castle with the Beast. The Beast is a man who was cursed by a witch, changing his appearance, along with all of his servants, until he can find someone to fall in love with him. In the end Belle looks past his monstrous exterior, and falls in love with him." Remus felt a lump in his throat.

"She fell in love with a beast?" He asked incredulously.

"Well, yeah. He was a good person, who cared about her very much. Don't judge a book by its cover, Remus." She teased.

"Of course not, it sounds like a good fairytale." He sighed inwardly. He knew that his condition was anything but a fairytale. After all, he would never go back to being normal, no matter what happened he would remain a monster.

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Ana found herself sitting next to Marshall for Muggle Studies once again. She felt terribly awkward, she desperately wanted to flirt back with him, but was unsure if she should. She'd hate for Alicia to find out and plot out some horrible revenge.

"Hello Ana," Marshall greeted, a goofy grin on his face. "Ana-Banana."

"Did you just call me Ana-Banana?" she asked him incredulously.

"Yes, I like it, you needed a nickname."

"No. Unacceptable. You cannot give me a name as ridiculous as that!" she cried.

"And why can't I?"

"Because nothing rhymes with Marshall! How am I supposed to come up with an equally embarrassing nickname?"

"All the better Ana," he chuckled. The two of them whispered through most of the lecture, receiving a few glares from the professor, which they simply giggled at. Ana found herself caving, flirting back with him. A hand was in her hair, playing with her red ringlets, as she talked.

After class, he once again walked her to the Great Hall. They were only halfway to their destination, when down the hallway Ana saw Alicia. Her arms were crossed, and her eyes narrowed in on Marshall's arm, which Ana was holding onto. Ana blushed, sensing conflict about to arise.

"Um, I think I left something for Lily in the common room, I better go get it before dinner." She said, turning around to walk in the opposite direction.

"Oh, do you want me to walk you there?" Marshall asked politely, not wanting to say goodbye.

"Oh no, you go to dinner." She smiled at him, "I'll see you around, goodbye Marshall."

"Goodbye Ana-Banana." He grinned back, and went off down the hall. Ana sighed, then caught sight of Alicia again, who looked as though she wanted to set fire to Ana. Ana gulped, and turning around, dashed back the way she came to the common room. She was thankful that she didn't get lost on the maze of staircases, and finally found the Fat Lady.

"Flibbertigibbet!" she cried, and the portrait opened, without a word, which was rather unusual as the Fat Lady is quite talkative.

Ana chose to skip dinner, not wanting to face Alicia any time soon. She spent the next hour hiding away in the common room, reading.

Two hands wrapped around her eyes.

"Guess who?!" cried a ridiculous falsetto voice.

"Hmm…could it be…" Ana grabbed the hands and looked up as she asked "Sirius?!" she giggled at the sight of his upside-down face peering at her.

"Love, where were you at dinner? We were worried about you!" he said, hopping over the couch Ana was sitting on, settling down beside her.

"Oh well, let's just say I have an Alicia situation." Sirius nodded understandingly.

"Aren't you hungry dear?"

"No, I'm fine, I think I can wait until breakfast." She said with a reluctant smile, but her stomach gave her away. Just as she said this, it let out an embarrassing rumble. Sirius barked.

"Come on love, let's go get you some food."

"Oh no, I don't think I should go to the Great Hall."

"Don't worry, I'm taking you somewhere secret." He said, his eyes glimmering with mischief, dragging her off the couch and out of the room. Ana was pulled through a maze of halls, seeing portraits she hadn't seen before, odd hallways where the wall hangings were upside down, and halls that were only as wide as a person's shoulders. Finally, Sirius stopped her in front of a large painting of a bowl of fruit.

"Tickle the pear." Sirius commanded. Ana turned to him, an eyebrow raised.

"Why would I tickle a painted pear?" she speculated.

"Just trust me love!"

"Not with my life, Black." But she reached forward, and gently tickled the portrait, which chose to swing out at her. Ana peered behind it, and saw a long staircase, leading into the darkness. She looked up at Sirius with wide eyes, who smiled softly at her. He nudged her down the staircase. Ana's curiosity took over her, and she skipped quickly down the stairs.

At the bottom landing, she saw a large kitchen spread about her. Large ovens as tall as the ceiling were spread through the room, plates flew through the air, long counters were spread out, magical knives chopping vegetables by themselves, and a warm aroma of baked goods wafted about. Ana's mouth immediately began to water.

"Ahem, how can we help Mr. Black and friend?" a tiny voice squeaked. Ana looked down to see a crowd of house elves surrounding her.

"Well Ana? What would you like?" Sirius whispered softly into her ear. She smiled softly at him, then turning her gaze to the elves, she asked,

"Could I have chocolate croissants?"

"Of course!" they piped in, scrambling about to prepare her food. Sirius had a small smirk on his face.

"Dessert for dinner? Tsk, tsk Ana, you'll spoil your appetite!" he teased.

"I haven't had any chocolate today! It's a crime, really." Sirius laughed as the elves crowded around her again, a basket piled high with pastries was thrust up at her. She took it gratefully, and bit into a croissant.

"Delicious," she sighed, content. The elves cheered at the remark.

"Thank you Mr. Black and friend! Please come back soon!" another elf cried, a light pink bonnet tied around her head, pushing her ears down.

The two students left, Sirius leading her through a whole new maze of hallways and winding staircases. They walked all the way to the top of the clock tower, and sat down to enjoy the view while they ate croissants.

"Wow, I just can't get over how beautiful it is here," Ana whispered dreamily, staring out at the Black Lake reflecting the stars dusting the sky. Sirius said nothing, his mouth full of food. They sat there for a few hours, Ana told stories of Beauxbatons, the few friends she had there, and the pranks they pulled. Sirius shared the pranks the Marauders had pulled, going into great detail when it came to their revenge on the Slytherins.

"What about your family?" Sirius finally asked, "Are they why you transferred?"

"Yes, my father got a job at the Ministry, so we all moved here. It wouldn't have been too hard to keep going to school at Beauxbatons, but English is my first language so it's much easier to learn here. My French isn't bad, I just prefer English." She replied simply. "What about you? What's your family like?" she felt Sirius stiffen next to her and immediately regretted asking.

"We don't exactly get along." He seethed. He shook of this feeling, and put on a sad smile, "But last summer I stayed with James instead, the Potters are like my real family." There was sadness in his voice, Ana wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him into a hug, comforting him. She pulled back and smiled supportively.

"Well, it's already past curfew, love." Sirius sighed, standing up, "I suppose I should take you back to the common room." He reached a hand down, grabbed her hand, and pulled her up with ease. He noted that she was a very tiny thing. Skinny, but not scrawny, she had plenty of curves to her where he like them most. He wrapped his arms around her thin waist, and pulled her against his chest, which was muscled from years of Quidditch practice. Ana gasped in surprise.

"Um, Sirius?" she began to ask, but it was too late. Sirius was already leaning his face closer to hers, staring into her eyes. She quickly, stuck her hand on his face, stopping him. "Sirius, I think we should just be friends. I need friends more than I need a snog." She joked, trying to lighten the room. He didn't look too hurt by the rejection.

"Whatever you say love, best not to make you fall in love with me, anyways." He grinned, throwing an arm around her shoulder. He would get her yet; he just needed to be a little more persistent.

_It's not fun without a little bit of a chase _he thought gleefully.

"Let's get you back to that common room then."

**Author's note: Once again, thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, or followed! Please leave a review, it doesn't take long, and it makes my day oh so wonderful! **


	5. Playing Healer

**Disclaimer: This is the magic of J.K. Rowling; Ana, Emily, Alicia, and Marshall are all part of my own spell. I'd like to thank everyone who has followed this story and reviewed. It feels so special when you add me to your favorites list; you all inspire me to continue writing.**

It had been a few weeks since the night Sirius and Ana went to the kitchens, and Sirius still hadn't mentioned Ana's rejection to his friends. Sirius wasn't usually embarrassed by rejection; he had been turned down by plenty of girls, sometimes more than one in a day. He hadn't told the Marauders about Ana because of how protective they had become of her. They had been in school for three weeks, and they still hadn't pranked her. James refused to pull a joke on her, and Remus was constantly lecturing Sirius about flirting with her.

_Remus_, Sirius thought glumly as he stared across the table at his friend, who was bent over a Potions essay. Remus had dragged all of the Marauders down to the library, insisting that they write their own essays, instead of copying his once again. Remus was always the responsible one. No wonder he had never had a girlfriend, he wasn't nearly wild enough to venture out of his shell to actually talk to a girl. Sure, he talked to Lily, and occasionally a stray Hufflepuff girl, but he always remained in the friend-zone. He managed to snog two or three girls Sirius had sent his way during parties. Nothing serious ever came from it though. Remus remained Remus, quiet, in the corner, and always responsible. He needed someone to bring out a bit of his wild side.

_We need to get him a girlfriend,_ Sirius decided, loosen him up a bit, and get him off all their backs. He gazed down at his blank parchment paper. He didn't need to worry about his essay; eventually Remus would cave and let him copy his.

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Ana was up in the Owlery. She was enjoying the peace and quiet of the tower, listening to the soft hoots and ruffling of feathers of the owls. Hogwarts wasn't like Beauxbatons; here it was always noisy, people were always lively and chatting excitedly, fighting for their voice to be heard over the others. Things were always flying overhead, swooping down at you. Back at Beauxbatons, the students were usually very proper and elite, conversing quietly in the corners. Though Ana preferred the hustle of Hogwarts, it was a lot to get used to.

She was sitting quietly, perched on a window ledge, writing a letter for home. She shivered, and pulled her scarf tighter around her neck.

"Oh, hello," came a voice from behind her. Ana jumped a little bit, almost dropping her quill, and spun around. Remus was in the doorway smiling warmly. "You sure are jumpy, aren't you?" Ana gave him a weak smile.

"I suppose."

"Well, don't let me interrupt." He quickly walked over to a black owl. Ana turned back to her letter, but not long after that she heard a yelp. Her head snapped to where Remus was, who was holding his hand gingerly, the owl he had been using looking quite pleased with himself. Ana rushed to his side.

"Are you okay?" she asked, taking his hand into her own. His finger was bleeding quite badly; the sight of the wound made her face pale and her breathing shallow, but she managed to pull a handkerchief from her robe pocket, and pressed it onto the cut. She looked up at Remus to see him watching her carefully. She blushed, realizing that she was still holding his hand.

"Sorry," she mumbled, "I guess I should be a Healer when I grow up." Remus smiled at her.

"I guess so," he said quietly, watching her stroke the owl that had bit him. The owl seemed quite content receiving affection from her. He looked down at the letter she had dropped while running over to him. Delicate black lines spelled out _Anastasia Greene _on the back of the envelope.

"Anastasia?" he mused quietly, his lips twitching into a grin. Ana's eyebrows furrowed downward, glaring at him.

"Don't call me Anastasia please, it's Ana."

"Why not _Anastasia_?" he teased, earning himself a glare so mighty he was surprised it didn't set him on fire.

"Well fine _Remmie_," she said, putting extra emphasis on his new nickname. Remus' eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Well played Ana. Who are you writing to, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Just to my father, I promised to tell him how school was going, you?"

"I'm ordering some prank materials; James has a great idea involving the Slytherins." He grinned mischievously.

"You boys should start inviting me to your pranking; I could bring a lot to the table." Ana gave him a wink, tied her letter to an owl, and grabbed her bag of the floor. "See you later," she said, walking out of the Owlery, at the door she stopped and turned around "_Remmie."_ She left, Remus stood there, staring after her with a dumbstruck look on his face.

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Remus laid up his bed, pale and sweating, his hands cracking his knuckles loudly. Sirius and James were bent over a Quidditch Weekly magazine in a bed opposite of him.

"Remus!" Sirius finally yelled "Would you stop that?!" Remus dropped his hands to the bed, ceasing the endless popping noise. He had had so much on his mind lately that the full moon had snuck up on him. Now it was only a day away, he wasn't prepared to face it.

"Are you alright mate?" James asked, concerned for his friends.

"I suppose, I've just had a lot to think about lately." He replied, rolling over in his bed to look out the window.

"Oooh, What do you have on your mind, Moony?" Sirius questioned, rising off his bed to come over and sit down by Remus. "This sounds like a lady problem if you ask me." His eyebrows waggled at the idea.

"No it's not." Remus mumbled, trying to bury himself into his bed.

"Oh, but it is, isn't it?"

"It doesn't matter anyways." Remus told him sadly. Sirius gasped at the response.

"Who is she? Tell us Moony." Sirius grabbed his shoulders and began to shake him, "Who? Who? Who?"

"I can't tell you, and it doesn't matter, there's no way she would like me back."

"Why not? You're a Marauder! Any girl would be lucky to have you! Now, tell us who it is, secrets don't make friends." James told him.

"I'm going to go find Peter, this is a Marauder emergency." Sirius began for the door, "Don't worry mate, we'll help you get her." At the sound of the door closing, Remus groaned and tried to cover his face with a pillow.

"Moony, you can tell us!" James assured.

"Yeah, but what am I supposed to do if I know someone else likes her?" Remus uncovered his head, and sat up in bed, looking at James expectantly for an answer.

"Well, then you have to beat him to her!" Remus bit his lip, gazing downwards.

"It's Ana." He mumbled quietly, regretting telling James immediately.

"Ana?! Darling, sweet Ana?! Mate, she's perfect for you! Why can't you just tell her how you feel?"

"Sirius likes her! That's why! I don't want to hurt Sirius, and besides, he could get her way easier than I could."

"Please, Sirius likes everything that can walk, and then some. Besides, Ana has way too many standards to date Sirius anyways." Remus snorted at James.

Sirius and a wheezing Peter burst through the dormitory door.

"What is happening?" Peter cried, shoving Sirius' hand off his shoulder, "What is so important that you had to pull me away from my chess game?"

"Remus has his eye on a lady! We need backups men!" Sirius cried. Turning to stare down at Remus mischievously, "We'll get it out of you yet, mate. Come on, spill, who is the lucky minx?"

"She's not a minx, Sirius. It's…." Remus trailed off, unsure whether or not he should tell Sirius. If he did, it could lead to more attention than he wants; but if he didn't they would never leave him alone. It was too close to the full moon to have to deal with their questioning. "Ana." He mumbled quietly, looking down at his lap.

Sirius paused for a moment, staring down at his friend thoughtfully. Sirius was tossing over thoughts in his head. He really like Ana, and had planned on going after her; but he knew that he would most likely drop her afterwards; he wasn't a man to tie down. He looked down at Remus, the boy who had never showed any interest in a girl, and decided if it was worth giving up Ana. For a brief moment he wanted to be angry, but he couldn't take a girl away from Moony, he could just go after someone else anyways.

Remus felt like a year passed while Sirius stared down at him. He prayed to Merlin that he wasn't about to lose a best friend. Suddenly Sirius' face spread into a wide grin.

"Well then, it's settled." He told Remus matter-of-factly.

"Wha….what's settled exactly?" Remus asked, fear pooling in the pit of his stomach.

"Starting tomorrow we begin our mission. Don't worry mate, the Marauders are a powerful force, Ana will have no choice but to fall for you!" Remus groaned at the idea, balling into tight fists, his knuckles turning white.

"Please don't do anything. Don't even talk to her if you can help it."

"No, no, no. We'll convince her to date you; we promise we won't be embarrassing! We could jinx the Slytherins to sing romantic songs for her! Two birds in one stone!" he roared, happily.

"NO!" Remus finally bellowed, his anger taking control of him. He could feel the wolf inside of him, snarling in fear and rage.

"Why the hell not, Moony?" James asked, shocked at the sudden reaction from his friend.

"Why? Why?! I'm a monster! I don't get the luxury of having a girlfriend; no girl would be stupid enough to date something like me!" Remus cried, getting out of his bed and pacing the room in circles.

"Moony, don't think like that." James whispered softly, "You are not a thing. And Ana is above that, she seems nice. There are plenty of girls out there who would like to date you and would be able to overlook your 'furry little problem'."

"I can't." Remus mumbled, disgusted with himself. "I know what I am; I know that I could potentially hurt someone. I live with that every day, and because of that I can't let someone else live that poor, shameful life with me."

"Come on mate, you're not asking her to marry you. There is no reason a guy as nice as you shouldn't be able to have some fun!" Sirius comforted.

"I don't know you guys, it just makes me nervous."

"Remus, you should go for it," Peter squeaked in. The boys turned around, surprised to hear him have an opinion on the matter. He wasn't normally one to advise people on what to do.

"Well, maybe," Remus began, his voice still sounded unsure.

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One night later, Ana found herself in the girl's dormitory with Emily and Lily. She listened to her friends' chattering, happy to not have to worry about Alicia, who had snuck out to spend the night with her Ravenclaw friends in their dormitory.

"So Ana, any cute boys following you around yet?" Emily asked, brushing her dark brown hair up into a bun.

"What?!" Ana gasped, blushing at the question, "Of course not, why would you think that?"

"Sweetie, don't kid yourself," Lily weighed in, looking up from one of Emily's muggle magazine, "You're absolutely adorable, and you're new. You're the most exciting girl at Hogwarts!"

"Ugh, adorable," Ana's nose scrunched up, "The only reason someone would think that is because I'm short. Trust me, there's nothing adorable about my eating habits, or how angry I get when I'm impatient, and I'm always impatient!"

The two other girls kept gossiping, but Ana's mind travelled elsewhere. She always as bad at focusing, often dazing out into dreamland, most of the day she had a foggy gaze in her eyes as she stared off into space. It wasn't long until Ana drifted into a deep sleep. The two others were too busy talking to hear a soft howl coming from far away, somewhere deep on the grounds.

**Author's note part 2: So, after writing this chapter I am a little worried that I'm creating a Mary Sue, and an overly cliché love story. If anyone has any feedback or ideas for other subplots in my story, I would appreciate them a lot.**


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